Various types of disposable portable containers are known in the art for storing a fluid or dry product such as a liquid, granular material, powder, or the like. Examples of containers include a cup, a metal can, a plastic bottle, a glass bottle, or a flexible pouch. Consumers prefer the convenience of flexible pouches over other types of containers due to their shape, size, shelf life, and storage adaptability. Manufacturers recognize the packaging benefits of a flexible pouch since the pouch can be formed and filled on the same manufacturing line. An example of a method and apparatus for filling a flexible pouch with a product is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,601 which is incorporated herein by reference.
The flexible pouch is made from a flexible material, preferably an extrusion or a laminate composed of sheets of plastic and aluminum or the like. An outer layer of material may include preprinted information such as a logo or the like to provide the customer with information regarding the contents of the pouch. The pouch may be formed and/or filled using conventionally known manufacturing techniques such as a horizontal form-fill-seal machine with single or multiple lanes, a flat bed premade pouch machine, a vertical form-fill-seal machine, or the like. The pouch includes a front panel and a back panel. The front and back panel can be sealed along the side edges. A gusset may be inserted along a bottom edge and sealed to the front and back panels, and a fitment may be inserted along the top edge or corner and sealed to the front and back panels. The pouch can be filled before the fitment is inserted or after the fitment is inserted by filling through the fitment.
The above described existing known manufacturing method produces a flexible pouch with sealed edges. However, the sealed edges formed by the known method can produce a side edge in the known pouch which may be uncomfortable for a consumer holding the pouch in his or her hand. As such, a flexible pouch design is desired which provides a more comfortable interface between the consumer and the pouch.